The 1977 ‘Rabid‘ is the second film of David Cronenberg who was then at the beginning of his career. The Canadian director is one of those who have successfully made the ascent from ‘niche’ horror films to the Hollywood mainstream. As the author or co-writer of many of his films, he was always fascinated by the connection between violence, sexuality and the chronic ills of the world in which he lived and made films. In his movies, we find anxieties projected in extreme situations, some of which, revisited after several decades, give a sense of premonition. The story of ‘The Fly’, for example, one of his most famous films, now returns to the era of genetic manipulation. ‘Rabid‘, lesser known, deserves a re-watching at least because it brings to screen scenes that happened 2-3 years ago, familiar to the viewer today: a mysterious pandemic that spreads rapidly and whose origins are unknown; cities where lockdown policies are applied and a state of siege is instituted; compulsory vaccinations and restrictions imposed on those who resist; normal life and the crumbling social edifice. If David Cronenberg seems prophetic, that might not be intentional. The Canadian director may have only wanted to make a story with vampires and zombies.
The film begins with a terrible motorcycle accident. We will find similar scenes in the director’s later films. The main heroine of the film is named Rose and her life is saved after the accident in a cosmetic surgery clinic located near the accident site. The surgeon who runs the clinic decides to perform a skin graft operation using a technology that has not been tested before. Rose’s life is saved, but the effects on her body and person are disastrous: she will turn into a kind of vampire with an unlimited thirst for blood who infects her victims with a virus similar to rabies. The disease spreads at lightning speed. The victims become a kind of zombies that attack those around them. In a few days the whole of Quebec becomes the arena of a pandemic dystopia and a state of siege is decreed in Montreal. During this time, Rose, escaped from the clinic, tries to deny responsibility in triggering the catastrophe, but her thirst for blood pushes her to constantly look for new victims.
Starting from a classic sci-fi theme – the dangers of uncontrolled application of scientific discoveries -, David Cronenberg develops the story in directions that belong to the genres of films with vampires and zombies, with predatory women or dystopian anticipation. In almost all these genres ‘Rabid‘ was a forerunner in its time and many other creators followed in his footsteps. The combination works quite well. In the 90 minutes of screening, the story is introduced and developed and the main characters have enough time to be known and for the audience to care about their fate. Marilyn Chambers, an adult films actress, was cast in the lead role, and she is very fit and unexpectedly talented as an actress. David Cronenberg doses well the amount of explicit ‘horror’ that he shows on the screen and leaves enough room for the imagination of the viewers. The result is a film that by today’s standards can pass mainstream without a problem. In perspective, viewers’ interest is enhanced by the image of Montreal in the 1970s, the peaceful and familiar city that slides within days into anarchy and violence. This is the scene on which David Cronenberg chooses to give shape and unfold his anxieties, which remain actual even 46 years after the premiere.